Ben Leber, a starting outside linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings the last five seasons, will be an unrestricted free agent once the NFL lockout ends. Although he and his wife would like to remain in the Twin Cities, Leber is skeptical about whether he will return to the team.

"The reality is if they were really, really wanting me back then maybe something would have been said before the lockout," Leber told the Star Tribune. "I had a good meeting with coach (Leslie) Frazier and (vice president of player personnel Rick) Spielman at the end of the year. Each side expressed how much I'd like to be here and finish my career here.

Ben Leber, 32, signed as a free agent with the Vikings after playing his first four NFL seasons in San Diego. (AP Photo)

"I am hopeful and hope that I can come back and be a Viking again. But I'm also a realist and I've been through this process before. It's not always up to you, and you have to be willing to move on."

Leber, 32, signed as a free agent with the Vikings after playing his first four NFL seasons in San Diego. One of the 10 plaintiffs in the "Brady et al v. National Football League et al" court case, he said he believes the lockout will end in time for a full regular season to be played in 2011.

When the lockout does end, it will kick off the start of a frenzied free-agency period. Leber feels anxious about that.

"I do wonder how it's all going to play out, and I'm a little worried about how crazy it's going to be," he said. "Thinking about it from a family perspective. Having a newborn (a 3-month-old son) at home and how are that going to play out? Am I going to be gone traveling maybe team-to-team looking for a potential place to play? Is it going to be one of those things where you sign on the dotted line and you go to training camp the next day and be gone for a month?

"All those things my wife and I have talked about, and at the end of the conversation we're just like, 'Well, we don't know. We can't sit here and waste time speculating.' So I guess whatever happens, happens and we'll roll with it when we get there."